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Thursday March 28, 2024

Afridi heroics go in vain as Karachi edge Peshawar

By our correspondents
February 21, 2017

SHARJAH: It almost was his night. Shahid Afridi finally regained his six-hitting ability as he took Peshawar Zalmi agonisingly close to victory against Karachi Kings from a seemingly impossible situation in a HBL Pakistan Super League thriller.

A packed crowd at the Sharjah cricket stadium was treated to some exciting batting by Afridi and his captain Darren Sammy as the senior duo lifted Peshawar from 69-6 to within striking distance of what would have been a memorable win.

However, in the end Peshawar fell short by nine runs in their chase of Karachi’s 175.

Peshawar’s top-order that just a night before fell to 78-6 again failed, with just 69 on the board by the time their sixth wicket was taken on Sunday.

At that stage, it looked as if Karachi would romp to victory but for a magnificent 70-run partnership between Afridi and Sammy from just 40 balls.

Sammy fell in the 18th over, before Afridi took the game into its final over. Needing 18 from it, Afridi scored eight from the first three balls, including a monster six to bring up his fifty but he perished next ball for 54 from 28 balls.

It was inspired stuff from the former Pakistan captain, when defeat looked a convincing formality by the time he reached the crease but was only felt by nine runs by the close.

Karachi’s 21-year old legspinner Usama Mir held his nerve in a brave final over and was rewarded with two wickets as Peshawar were bowled out with a ball to spare.

It didn’t look like Peshawar would have to chase that many, especially when Karachi’s innings threatened to unravel after a promising opening partnership between Kumar Sangakkara (28) and Babar Azam (46). A key partnership late on between veterans Ravi Bopara and Shoaib Malik (51 not out) got them back on track, and after Bopara’s dismissal, Malik flew through the gears, racing from 16 off 13 to finish unbeaten on 51 from 27 balls. It was just as well for his side, who, incredulously, needed every one of those runs in the end.

This win, Karachi’s second on the bounce, lifts them off the bottom based on their superior net run rate to Lahore Qalanders, now occupy that unwanted fifth spot despite both teams being level on four points. Peshawar Zalmi remain third on five points. –with inputs from agencies

Score Board

Peshawar Zalmi won toss

Karachi Kings

Babar Azam c Hasan b Shakib        46

*†K C Sangakkara c Hasan b Iftikhar        28

C H Gayle c Morgan b Iftikhar        11

Shoaib Malik not out  51

R S Bopara c Sohaib b Imran         30

K A Pollard not out    4

Extras (lb 4)   4

Total (4 wickets; 20 overs)  174

Did not bat: Imad Wasim, Sohail Khan, M Amir, Usama Mir, Usman Khan

Fall: 1-72, 2-75, 3-90, 4-134

Bowling: Hasan 3-0-32-0; Wahab 4-0-32-0; Shakib 2-0-14-1; Imran (1) 4-0-42-1; Sammy 1-0-16-0; Shahid 4-0-26-0; Iftikhar 2-0-8-2

Peshawar Zalmi

Tamim Iqbal c Sangakkara b Sohail 16

†Kamran Akmal c Bopara b Sohail   14

Iftikhar Ahmed c Sangakkara b Imad        1

E J G Morgan c Bopara b Shoaib     3

Shakib Al Hasan c Bopara b Usman 18

Sohaib Maqsood c Pollard b Usman  5

*D J G Sammy c Gayle b Sohail      34

Shahid Afridi c Gayle b Usama        54

Wahab Riaz b Usman 2

Hasan Ali c Bopara b Usama 10

Imran Khan (1) not out       0

Extras (lb 6, nb 2)    8

Total (all out; 19.5 overs)    165

Fall: 1-32, 2-33, 3-33, 4-43, 5-58, 6-69, 7-139, 8-146, 9-165, 10-165

Bowling: Imad 3-0-24-1; Amir 4-0-41-0; Sohail 4-1-28-3; Usama 3.5-0-28-2; Shoaib 1-0-6-1; Usman 4-0-32-3 (2nb)

Result: Karachi Kings won by 9 runs

Points: Karachi Kings 2, Peshawar Zalmi 0

Man of the Match: Shoaib Malik
(Karachi Kings)

Umpires: Ahmed Shahab (Pakistan) and Aleem Dar (Pakistan). TV umpire: Shozab Raza (Pakistan). Match referee: M Anees (Pakistan)